Graphic Novels 3 - The Arrival

Title: The Arrival
Author: Shaun Tan
Illustrator: Shuan Tan
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Date: 2006
Age Range:

Summary: In this wordless graphic novel, a man leaves his homeland and sets off for a new country, where he must build a new life for himself and his family.

Strengths:
I love how the book is set up. Everything about it lends itself to the story, with the inside pages with the pictures that looks like the immigrants from Ellis Isle and the cover made to look like a very old and worn book. The realistic pictures are amazing and really purvey the emotions of the characters, which is what drives the story. The pictures are also remenisance of old black and white photography which is lovely. Looking at the book, I can really appreciate how much work went into creating all of those beautiful drawings. It's a great way to teach children about immigration and showing how hard it is to move to a new country. I love the futuristic animals that appear they are a wonderful and interesting addition to the story.

Concerns:
It's a dark story (but with a happy ending). There are so many tiny pictures that it may be overwhelming for some and some details may be missed the first time reading it.